Philippines marks National Maritime Week 2025 with call to protect oceans

Philippines marks National Maritime Week 2025 with call to protect oceans
Liz Lagniton September 24, 2025 https://maritimefairtrade.org/philippines-marks-national-maritime-week-2...

Blending tribute with advocacy, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is leading this year’s week-long National Maritime Week — recognizing Filipino seafarers, championing marine conservation, and highlighting the indispensable role of those in the maritime sector.

Kicking off on September 21, the weeklong celebration will run through September 28.

The PPA joined the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in signing a Joint Statement of Commitment during a press conference on September 23, pledging to protect the seas and advance sustainable growth in the maritime sector.

This year’s theme, “Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity”, highlights both the responsibility and the potential that come with the Philippines’ identity as an archipelagic nation.
Shared mission to protect seas

PPA’s assistant general manager for operations Mark Jon Palomar opened the conference by underscoring the role of ports and maritime infrastructure in driving sustainability. He outlined PPA’s initiatives on green ports, shoreline cleanups, carbon reduction, and disaster resilience, highlighting the agency’s long-term commitment.

“I call on government agencies, private industry, local communities, and our media partners to treat maritime sustainability as a shared mission,” Palomar said.

“Together, let us amplify this message, inspire collective action, and show the world that the Philippines is ready to lead toward a future where our ocean is protected, our obligations are fulfilled, and our opportunities are seized,” he added.

The declaration affirms the ocean as both a heritage and a shared responsibility, calling for a balance between economic progress and environmental stewardship. It also highlights the importance of collaboration between government institutions and industry stakeholders in ensuring maritime safety, sustainability, and innovation.

For MARINA’s administrator Sonia Malaluan, the message was clear: The country’s maritime industry must modernize without compromising safety.

She emphasized that modernization programs and projects are underway to improve the condition and quality of the Philippines’ water transport system. This includes strengthening ship registration through the Ship Registry Bill, a measure that seeks to uphold the Philippine flag as a symbol of transparency, safety, and global competitiveness.

Malaluan reminded the audience that every ship inspection, every certification, and every regulation issued by MARINA goes beyond compliance.

“It is clear to us that we are not just safeguarding vessels—we are safeguarding lives,” she stressed. “In every certification, in every inspection, what is at stake are human lives. This is our obligation.”

Her remarks reinforced MARINA’s uncompromising stance: There is no room for substandard ships in Philippine waters. A single defective vessel, she said, could endanger countless lives.

But Malaluan also broadened the definition of obligation to include people’s welfare. She highlighted gender inclusivity, equal opportunities, and seafarer welfare programs as essential elements of the agency’s mission.

“We continue to push for fair opportunities for all seafarers, whether men or women, new or experienced,” she noted.
Safety as way of life

Malaluan underscored the need to make safety a cultural norm across the industry. She said this responsibility is not exclusive to regulators and inspectors but extends to operators, seafarers, passengers, and even the broader public.

“Every Filipino seafarer must be respected, every Philippine ship must be trusted, and the Philippines must always be recognized as a responsible maritime nation,” she said.

While the responsibilities are great, Malaluan also pointed to opportunities waiting for the Philippines. Climate change, stricter international regulations, and rapid technological advances pose challenges, but also open doors.

Green shipping, she said, allows the country to modernize its fleet with low-emission vessels, alternative fuels, and eco-friendly port facilities.

“Investing in eco-friendly ships and ports is not just about compliance, it is our opportunity to lead in sustainability,” she stressed.

Malaluan also turned the spotlight on the shipbuilding and repair industry, positioning it as a major source of jobs and economic growth.

She noted that the Philippines already ranks fourth globally in shipbuilding and could benefit from the modernization of fleets worldwide. New opportunities also lie in ship recycling and breaking, further expanding the industry’s potential.

For instance, she cited that a shipyard in Cebu alone could provide up to 100,000 new jobs, most requiring skilled workers. With minimal training, she said, this could transform communities, allowing families to uplift their standard of living and invest in education for future generations.

“This is why MARINA is pushing for the Shipyard Industry Development Bill,” she said. “The opportunities are right before us.”
Blue economy and digitalization

Beyond industrial opportunities, Malaluan emphasized the need to protect the country’s greatest wealth—its seas. She called for responsible maritime tourism, eco-friendly operations, and sustainable fisheries under the framework of a blue economy.

She also underscored the strong partnerships among MARINA, PPA, and PCG.

“Unlike others, MARINA and PCG are ‘forever partners,’” she quipped, highlighting their joint responsibility in promoting safety and environmental sustainability.

On digitalization, Malaluan confirmed that MARINA is moving toward e-certification, online ship registration, and paperless services — reforms designed to make the agency’s processes “more transparent, efficient, and accountable”.

“This is no longer the future; it is the present,” the MARINA chief said referring to digitalization.

Representing PCG, Rear Admiral Teotimo Borja, commander of the Coast Guard Civil Relations Service, highlighted the urgent threats facing the oceans: Marine pollution, illegal fishing, and climate change.

“The duty of the Philippine Coast Guard is to safeguard our seas, ensuring safety, security, and protection,” Borja said, outlining the PCG’s initiatives, from vessel inspections to search-and-rescue operations, enforcement of maritime regulations, and anti-pollution drives.

He also noted their recent participation in the International Coastal Clean-up and tree-planting activities.

However, Borja admitted that the PCG cannot achieve its mission alone.

“Safeguarding our oceans is our obligation,” he said. He urged both Filipinos and industry stakeholders to take part by reporting violations, protecting the country’s waters, preventing maritime pollution, and supporting efforts to enrich marine biodiversity.

“These efforts will only succeed if we work together,” he said.

The PCG said safeguarding the oceans is a shared responsibility and noted that it is training personnel to address both environmental threats and maritime security challenges.

The weeklong celebration of National Maritime Week has been marked by events that directly tie into this year’s theme.

One of the most notable was a bloodletting activity led by the PPA in partnership with MARINA and PCG, held at the Eva Macapagal Terminal also on September 23. The program drew around 110 participants, with all blood donations turned over to the Philippine General Hospital and Gat Andres Memorial Medical Center.

Other activities scheduled include educational port tours designed to familiarize communities with maritime operations, tree-planting initiatives to support climate resilience, and a fun run aimed at promoting both maritime awareness and healthy lifestyles.

These events aim to bring maritime issues closer to the public while highlighting safety, sustainability, and community participation.

When asked about ongoing and future projects, Palomar emphasized the continuity of the PPA’s green port initiatives.

“Every year, our ports participate in green port initiatives,” he explained. “Ports that were recognized in previous years continue to maintain their standards. This is a continuous effort, and it remains the goal of every Port Management Office (PMO).”

Palomar said that their commitment is not new, but something they have been doing consistently. This includes monitoring water quality, ensuring proper waste collection from vessels, and conducting regular educational campaigns.

He revealed that even before this year’s celebration, PPA’s PMOs had been holding weekly activities for the past months, aimed at educating communities about maritime sustainability.

“So even without Maritime Week, we continue these commitments,” he said.

In response to a question from Maritime Fairtrade on how the celebration reflects maritime heritage, Malaluan highlighted the Philippines’ long history of seafaring and shipbuilding.

She stressed that modernization efforts do not erase traditional practices. Instead, MARINA ensures that traditional boats and designs remain recognized, particularly for cultural and tourism purposes.

“Boatbuilding has always been part of our heritage,” she said. “Although we prefer high-tech fast craft that resemble airplanes in comfort and safety, we continue to recognize traditional designs.”

Malaluan also emphasized the importance of maritime education, revealing that MARINA is working with the Department of Education to introduce maritime awareness as early as primary school.

“We often forget how vital shipping is,” she said, noting that 30 percent of the world’s ships are manned by Filipino seafarers. “If ships were to stop, so would our daily lives.”

She contrasted this with other countries where interest in seafaring is declining. In Japan, for instance, has forced shipowners to consider hiring Filipinos even for domestic shipping.

This, Malaluan said, is proof that the Philippines can sustain its maritime heritage while adapting to global changes.

Now in its 29th year since its establishment through Presidential Proclamation No. 866 (1996), National Maritime Week continues to serve as a reminder of the Philippines’ identity as an archipelagic and maritime nation.

The celebration is also held alongside the nationwide observance of the Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANA Mo), which this year carries the theme: “Nag-iisang Kapuluan, Panatag na Karagatan” (One Archipelago, Secure Seas).

For the PPA, MARINA, and PCG, however, the week is more than a symbolic observance. It is a call to action.

“At the heart of every regulation we issue, every ship we inspect, and every seafarer we certify, are the lives of our people and the future of our nation,” Malaluan said.